This invention relates to knives. More particularly, this invention relates to utility knives adapted for facilitating a pulling cutting action.
Utility knives adapted for a rearward cutting action, such as cardboard box cutters are known. However, such knives are typically cumbersome and unwieldy, having a handle structure which fails to ergonomically facilitate a rearward cutting action. Further, such utility knives typically provide no feature or structure facilitating quick and convenient storage upon and accessibility from work belts, belt loops, and the like. The instant inventive utility knife addresses and solves such deficiencies by providing an economically constructed and mechanically simple utility knife having a handle structure which ergonomically facilitate a rearward cutting action. Safety and storage features enhance the usefulness of the knife. Such objects are achieved through configuration of a metal bar to dually function as a blade mount and a back pulling handle.
The instant inventive utility knife preferably comprises a xe2x85x9cxe2x80x3 steel bar bent in the form of a xe2x80x9cVxe2x80x9d. The distal end of a first leg of the xe2x80x9cVxe2x80x9d bar preferably functions as a blade mount, while the second leg functions as a back pulling handle. Where the blade mounting leg of the xe2x80x9cVxe2x80x9d bar is held in a horizontal orientation, with blade downwardly extended, it is preferable that the back pulling handle leg of the xe2x80x9cVxe2x80x9d bar extend upwardly at a forwardly tilting acute angle. The forward tilt of the pull handle leg of the xe2x80x9cVxe2x80x9d bar ergonomically matches the progressive forward tilt of an operator""s index, middle, third, and fourth fingers while grasping such pull handle.
In order to facilitate additional hand control of the knife, it is preferable that the cross-sectional profile of the back pulling handle be expanded for prevention of rotation within an operator""s hands. Suitably, such expansion may be accomplished by molding around the back pulling handle leg a plastic casing similar to that of a common plastic screwdriver handle. Preferably, such handle expansion is accomplished by configuring the back pulling handle leg of the xe2x80x9cVxe2x80x9d bar to further extend along its length, following a rearward 180xc2x0 bend. Such rearward bend and extension of the pull handle leg of the xe2x80x9cVxe2x80x9d bar beneficially forms an inverted xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d slot for convenient storage upon and retrieval from an operator""s belt loop, while providing for enhanced hand control. An operator""s hand gripping across the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d prevents the knife from undesirably rotating within the hand.
Preferably, a common reversible trapezoidal utility knife blade is fixedly and removably mounted upon the distal end of the blade mounting leg of the xe2x80x9cVxe2x80x9d bar. For efficient back pulling cutting of materials such as cardboard, the cutting edge of such trapezoidal blade may be milled to form a rearwardly facing cutting hook. A preferred mounting means for such blade comprises screws threadedly mounted within such leg of the xe2x80x9cVxe2x80x9d bar, the heads of such screws compressively holding the blade against such bar.
For enhancement of the safety of such reversible trapezoidal blade, it is preferable that a cutting edge guard be mounted upon the blade mounting leg of the xe2x80x9cVxe2x80x9d bar for pivotal motion between a first position, wherein such guard underlies and protects the cutting edge, and a second position, wherein the cutting edge guard extends rearwardly, clearing the blade for use. Also, for enhancement of safety, it is preferable that a blade shroud be fixedly and removably attached to the blade mounting leg of the xe2x80x9cVxe2x80x9d bar, such shroud overlying the upper end of the trapezoidal blade.
In use, the cutting edge guard of the inventive utility knife may be pivotally moved rearwardly to its second position while the handle of the knife is securely grasped in a user""s hand. The blade is then driven downwardly into and through material to be cut. Thereafter, the knife is pulled rearwardly, driving the cutting edge of the blade against the material, slicing the material. When the inventive utility knife is not in use, the cutting edge guard may be pivotally moved forwardly to its first position so that it underlies and guards the cutting edge of the blade. Thereafter, the preferred inverted xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shaped handle may be conveniently extended or hooked through a belt loop for convenient storage and quick retrieval.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a utility knife which is economically and simply constructed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a knife capable of ergonomically facilitating a back pulling cutting action.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a knife which is safe to use and store, and which is easily and conveniently storable and accessible.
Other and further objects, benefits, and advantages of the present invention will become known to those skilled in the art upon review of the Detailed Description which follows, and upon review of the appended drawings.